Christ Like Character

Good morning, folks. It's great to be here with you again. I was looking through my notes

this week as I was praying. It's actually been a year since I was down in Carolina.

It definitely doesn't feel like that, but it's great to be here with you again. It's

a great privilege to be able to open up God's Word and to worship with you guys here this

morning. I believe you've been working your way through Philippians over the summer, and

I'll be continuing in Philippians this morning. We'll be looking at chapter 2, verses 19 to

30. If you have one of those red church Bibles that was down the back, it's on page 1179

if you'd like to follow along. What I'm going to do is I'm going to read the passage, going

to pray briefly the Lord would help us as we open up His Word, and then we'll have a look

at what God is saying to us through it. So let me read, beginning in Philippians chapter

Philippians 2:19–30

2, verse 19 to 30. Paul writes, I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon,

that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him who

takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests,

not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with

his father, he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope, therefore, to send him to you

as soon as I see how things go with me. And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

But I think it's necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow

soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you,

and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed, he was ill and almost died. But God had

mercy on him, and not on him only, but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore,

I'm all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again, you may be glad, and I may have

less anxiety. Welcome him in the Lord, with great joy, and honour men like him, because he almost died

for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.

Let's pray as we come before God's word.

Father, we thank you so much for how you've spoken to us through your word. We thank you that

it's relevant for our lives today. We ask that you would help us to understand it, you'd apply it

deep into our hearts. We ask that you would change us by it, that it wouldn't just be words on a page,

but that you would mould our hearts, you would change us to be more like Jesus,

through what we hear and what we see in your word this morning. We ask this in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

Amen.

I want to ask you, who did you want to be like when you grew up? Maybe you always want to be like an

older sibling, maybe like your dad, or a family friend. Maybe, like Connor, maybe it was that

professional footballer, or a movie star. Who did you look up to? For me, it was Steve Irwin. I don't

know if any of you guys would be familiar with Steve. Sadly, he's not around anymore. He was the

crocodile hunter. And I want, when I was a kid, I wanted to go on exciting adventures like Steve. I

wanted to find amazing animals just like he did. In a way, he was a role model. Now, as we grow up,

our role models become a little more serious. Maybe we want to be like that popular person in school,

or that high achiever in work. Maybe we want to model ourselves after, you know, that couple who

really seem to have it together in their marriage. We follow so-and-so's Facebook or Twitter feed.

We follow a specific diet plan that someone has come up with, or better marriage guidelines.

Each of us have role models, people we model ourselves after. We want to be like them,

to live like they live, to act like they do. Because I feel in some way, we kind of think,

they're doing life right. They're going in the right direction.

Now, think then, as our lives as believers. We want to be getting it right. So let me ask you,

what role models should we have as Christians? The section before us in Paul's letter to the

Philippians, I believe it has two functions. Firstly, to kind of let them know what Paul's

plans are, and kind of what is going on with Paul. But also to continue the themes that he's been

working through. He gives us two different individuals, Timothy and Epaphroditus. And he

presents these guys as the kind of role models there to follow. So how does it fit in with the rest of

what we've been looking at in Philippians? Well, Paul's been talking to them about how they're

going to live as believers. In chapter 127, he was talking about, well, whatever happens,

no matter what circumstances come their way, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel.

You have been saved. So now be who you are. How will they continue to grow? Paul says to them in

2 verse 5, have the mindset or the attitude of Christ. We were reminded last week they were to

keep working out our salvation. Because God is at work in us, we can do it. So keep working out. Keep

doing what you're doing, he says to them. As a community together, what were they to do? We saw in

chapter 2 verse 4, we saw that they were to look not only to their own interests, but to the interests

of others. And now he gives us these two role models. Let's look at each of them in turn. So first

of all, in the first section, if you want to split up into house, we have Timothy. Now, Timothy was a

mentee of Paul. Paul was his mentor. He was a close friend. He worked alongside him, traveled with him.

He worked at establishing many of the early churches with Paul. He cared for Paul. He served

with him in the work of the gospel. This is the kind of guy, this is the man, Paul says, this is who I

want to send. We see in verse 19, I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also

may be cheered when I receive news about you. One of the reasons he wants to send him is so he can hear

about them. There wasn't any kind of 6-1 news. There was no Facebook feed. The only way that Paul was

going to hear about what was going on is if someone went there and then kind of reported back to him.

So there's practical reasons why Paul would send him. But also, I feel Paul wants to send

Timothy because then the church will have a really good working example of a role model who's like

Jesus that they'll get to see and model themselves after. He's going to show them what it looks like

to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. And he goes on in verse 20,

I have no one else like him who takes a genuine interest in your welfare.

Timothy sticks out above all the others that Paul has around him. No one can touch Timothy when it comes

to taking a genuine interest in the welfare or the interests of the others, of the church in

Philippi. Timothy's concerned for them, their spiritual state. He wants to know what God is doing

amongst them. He wants to share in their hardships. He says he wants to share in their joys. He wants to

know, guys, what is God doing? What's he doing in Philippi? How are they growing in their love of one

other? How are they serving? He prays for these guys. He longs for them. They're in his thoughts.

They're a huge part of his life. His heart is like Paul's heart for them. And if you want to know what

Paul's heart is like for these Philippians, well, you can look back to the, I won't go there, but if you

look through the first chapter of Philippians, you get a sense of how genuine Paul really is.

This is the guy, Paul says, that I want to send to you. Verse 21, he says, everyone else, you can see it

there if you look at it. He says, everyone else looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

This is the kind of role model. He says, Timothy, he puts you guys first. Timothy's different.

He doesn't put himself above. He says, no, you guys first. He gets my vote. What else does he say

about him? Verse 22, but you know that Timothy has proved himself because like a son with his father,

he has served with me in the work of the gospel. He's the real deal. He's worked with Paul. He's

learned the ropes from him. Like a father, sorry, like a son with his father, he has served with me.

This is very close relationship. Paul is like a spiritual father to him.

In those days, in the days that Paul is writing, which is slightly different to today, whatever

you were, whatever, sorry, whatever your parents were, whatever they worked at, generally that's

what you became. If a son, if your dad was a baker, you learned the ropes. You became a baker. If he was

a farmer, you became a farmer. There wasn't kind of what you have today where it's different. There was a

much closer connection between what your father did and what you ended up doing. A son then was the

primary apprentice of his father. The father would teach him. The son would gradually take on more

responsibilities. And as he grew up, so did his competency. He proved himself.

When I was a teenager, and throughout my college summers, my dad would take me on DIY jobs. And that

could have been anything from building walls to painting to, could have been anything, really fit

in the kitchen. You never knew what you were going to do. But as I grew up in those kind of skills, he

taught me as we went along. Started out small and then grew up. Took on more responsibilities. For instance,

he might leave me alone with the power tools, which was quite a big thing for him. It was a special

thing to learn these kind of tricks of the trade. And now it wasn't necessarily what my dad did as a

full-time job. But still, over time, I proved myself competent of doing DIY work. And here in our passage,

we see something similar. Timothy has proved himself in the test of gospel ministry. That's not been an easy

road by any means. He's been alongside Paul as Paul's dealt with oppression, with hardships, with

persecution. He's learned what it's like to have very little. He's learned to let go of his own

interests, to put the interests of others first. He's learned to take on that genuine interest.

He's learned to live out what Paul had been talking to them about in chapter 2, verse 4. I want to

remind us of that again. If you want to have a look at it, because it'll be quite key as we come then to

apply this passage a little later. Paul writes, sorry, I'll go from verse 3. Do nothing out of selfish

ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look

not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Timothy has proved himself

through the testing, through the hardship of serving alongside Paul. And Timothy's come through

with flying colors. He's made it. I want to send him, says Paul, as soon as I kind of have a better idea

of how things are going with me. He's no qualms about sending a man like this. In fact, he's actually

quite eager to. Paul himself hopes to visit them. We see that in verse 24. When this is going to happen,

he's not sure, but he trusts the Lord. He says, I'm confident in the Lord that this will happen. I will

come and see you. And when he does, both parties, both Paul and the church, are really going to benefit

from that time. Paul will get to celebrate as he sees what the Lord is doing amongst them, how they've

been getting on. And they're going to benefit from seeing Paul as they get another really good role

model of what it looks like to live for Jesus. Let's try and have a sum up of the kind of

characteristics we see in Timothy, and then like kind of what they might look like today. I think two

stick out quite clearly for us. First of all, we had that genuine interest for the welfare of others,

genuine concern for the welfare of others. Let's have a look at that one first.

These are the kind of characteristics we want to be looking at in Christians today, the kind of

people we want to model ourselves after. Now, obviously, I know no one here is perfect. We know

that. You can look in the mirror in the morning, and you can see that. But because just with the

imperfection, it shouldn't mean that we discount or that we overlook the good Christ-like characteristics

that are in one another. The characteristics that model Christ, these are the kind of things

that we want to look for and follow in others. Let's flesh it out. What might a genuine concern

for the welfare of others look like? Maybe there's kind of certain people that will spring to your mind

as we look at these. What about the person who always seems to be looking out for others? Not so

they can feel good about themselves, but because they just really want to see someone grow. They

really want to see someone else do well. Maybe the person who serves quietly in the background,

who just kind of gets along with tidying up the chairs, filling in on the tea and coffee rota.

The person who visits the sick or gives financial help or advice to someone who needs it.

Maybe it's that friend who's willing to ask you the difficult questions.

How are you getting on in your walk with Jesus? How are you getting on with reading your Bible?

How have you been finding times when you're angry? How have you been dealing with that?

Or dealing with not looking at stuff you shouldn't on TV or the internet? How are you getting on with gossip?

These kind of people, they're not asking so that you'll kind of feel bad or they're not asking to lord it over you.

They're asking because they're genuinely concerned for your welfare.

Do you have people in your life like that?

Living as a Christian, as we all know, it's hard. Sin is serious.

We're in much too volatile a situation, much too dangerous a situation as believers to be left in the solitude of our own minds and our hearts.

We need a genuine concern for each other, don't we?

Do you know someone who intentionally, regularly prays for others?

Someone who gives their time on a Sunday morning, when maybe they could be with their friends or just talking to them,

to chat to a newcomer or to maybe someone who just kind of struggles to fit in a bit.

Someone who doesn't brag about how much they do or equally complain about having to do more service.

The person who's genuinely interested, who generally cares for the welfare of others,

you notice that it doesn't actually seem to faze them.

Now, under the surface, it actually might, but yet, they've practiced putting that self-centeredness,

practiced putting it down.

They've practiced taking away, not clinging to that sense of entitlement, of self-interest.

They've practiced investing in others.

I know of one mum of three.

Two of the kids have left home.

One of her kids is a teenager.

And she was asked recently, you know, well, when are you going to be heading back to work, you know, to fulfill your career,

now that your kind of mothering duties are kind of at an end or they're not all that necessary.

Now, I'm not saying it's a bad thing if she had chosen to go back.

But instead, the desire that the Lord had placed on her heart was different.

She wanted to make herself available to younger women in the church to help them with raising kids,

to maybe give them a couple of hours off during the week,

or to be with them when maybe their own mothers couldn't be there, to give advice, counsel.

She'd walked the road before.

So she wanted to serve the church in this way.

She actively put the interests of others above her own.

I feel she models what it looks like to practice that genuine interest.

Or there's a close friend of mine who I've known for a good few years.

He's a man who's more giving than many that I know.

Giving of his time, his resources, food, his attention, his finances.

At times maybe when finances haven't been great for me, college usually springs to mind.

But he has gone out of his way to give to me.

Now, he's not necessarily well off himself, but whether he's had plenty or whether he's had very little,

he's given generously.

I know that this guy, if he knew that I needed it, he would split his last fiver with me.

That's the kind of man that I want.

Now, that's the kind of Christ-likeness, that giving, that I want to model in my own life.

I could go on, but I'll leave it there.

Maybe you can have a think on some people in your life who model these kind of characteristics.

I'm sure there are some.

But if you can't think of anyone, maybe you need to get some of those kind of people in your life.

These are the kind of role models that God's Word encourages us, that God's Word tells us.

These are the kind of people, these are the kind of traits I want you to imitate.

The second trait we see in Timothy.

Someone who's proved himself in hardship.

Now, I'll not just confine this to gospel work, because many of us here aren't in a position where we're working full-time for a church.

Many of us aren't missionaries.

There's more people than just pastors that we can look up to.

I feel what Paul has in mind here, actually, is those who've gone through difficult times in their Christian walk.

Who have been spiritually tested, but who have come through that.

I don't know about you, but I often find it's those difficult times that grow us most as Christians, isn't it?

Those times where we have little choice but to cling to Christ.

Those times which kind of force us to really hold on to our hope as Christians.

Where trusting in Jesus becomes a very real reality.

Maybe it's in the face of long-term illness for you or for a family member.

Maybe there's just some serious mess and you just feel out of your debt.

The money's gone.

The friends have kind of turned away.

The family, the relationships are just falling apart.

We seem to have no hope apart from Christ.

Have you been in a situation where your need of Christ has become very real very quickly?

I'm sure we've experienced that.

And in hindsight, when we look back at those times, it's often we can say,

those are the times that made me trust in Jesus.

Those are the times that grew me in my relationship with Him.

We learn to trust on God.

To depend on Him.

Now, I'm not necessarily saying that we can't learn from people who haven't gone through those tougher times.

That would probably cut most of the kind of younger folks here off the scale.

But actually, if you think about it, Timothy himself is probably actually only in his early 20s when Paul's writing this.

I think Paul would say it to protect us from following the kind of leaders who just make it all about them.

Those who kind of make it about their own abilities.

Look at me.

Where actually, they haven't experienced the hardship.

They haven't gone through or needed to trust in the Lord.

Instead, Paul would say to us, imitate those who have themselves gone through difficult times.

Who've had to cling on to Jesus.

No matter what life is thrown at them.

They haven't let go.

You'll recognize these kind of people when you talk to them.

Those who smile and tell you how amazing Jesus is.

When they're actually struggling with chronic pain day after day.

I know one old lady like that.

There's just a smile on her face.

Tears in her eyes.

But tears of joy at who Jesus is.

Even though she goes through real pain.

Or those who, in a worldly sense, have very little.

But what you hear from them is not,

Lord, why so little?

But Lord, wow.

Why so much?

Why so much?

These are the kind of role models we can learn from.

Each of us will go through tough times.

We live in a broken world.

Whether you've gone through much or little,

we will go through them.

So how will we act when those tough times come?

How will you conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel?

Well, I feel these people give us the role models we can look to.

Similar traits we can take on.

The Lord has taught them much through hardships.

The experiences that they've had,

he has used to mold them to be more like Jesus.

Let's have a look at our second character, Epaphroditus.

He models some of these things too.

I'll be a bit more brief here.

Have a look at verse 25.

But I think it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus.

My brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier,

who's also your messenger,

whom you sent to take care of my needs.

He said to them,

I'm going to send Timothy soon,

but I'm going to send Epaphroditus to you right now.

This is another man who Paul holds in high esteem.

Another great role model for the church.

He describes him in three ways,

which you notice.

First of all,

he's a brother.

There's a close relationship that Paul has,

a loving relationship.

Not brothers by blood,

but brothers in Christ.

We know from the kind of leadership that Paul has

that he's shown us,

when he says brother,

he means it.

There's a love,

a closeness,

an intimacy

there.

And it's that that characterizes

how he now says to them,

Epaphroditus,

I commend him to you.

This is the kind of man he is.

He's like a brother to Paul.

Secondly,

he's a fellow worker.

Someone who's worked alongside Paul in the gospel.

Who's shared in the difficulties,

in the toil.

Someone who knows what it's like to work hard,

to make Jesus known.

He's a fellow soldier.

Again,

we see a step up.

He's a man,

not only a brother,

not only a fellow worker,

but someone who has contended with Paul.

Who has fought with him in the gospel.

He's proven himself in these areas.

And he comes with Paul's recommendation.

And he's one of their own.

He's their messenger.

They sent him to Paul.

Chapter 4 of the letter to the Philippians

shows us that he actually brought gifts to Paul.

He cared for Paul's needs.

He would have worked with Paul

while he was there.

And now Paul sends him back.

And actually,

this is something Epaphroditus is quite keen on.

He wants to go back.

Not that he wants to get away from the work.

But have a look at verse 26.

For he longs for all of you

and is distressed

because you heard he was ill.

The reason Paul gives for his longing

is actually quite remarkable when we look at it.

Because you heard he was ill.

He was properly sick.

But his primary concern,

Epaphroditus is not necessarily concerned for himself.

He's concerned for them.

They've heard he's unwell.

And he's actually really concerned on their account.

He's put out

because they're hearing that he's sick.

He, like Timothy,

takes a genuine interest in their welfare.

I don't know what you're like when you're sick.

Whether it's a cold, a migraine,

whether it's man flu.

I know for myself,

I can tend to be a bit more inward looking.

I can take on a bit of a

woe is me,

kind of please take care of me

kind of attitude, can't we?

Life very quickly becomes about us.

Maybe we take on a,

well, no, I don't need your help.

But the little voice inside is kind of saying,

please acknowledge me.

Please acknowledge that I'm working really hard

even though I'm sick.

I'm sure we've all been there.

But not Epaphroditus.

He's different.

He's genuinely worried

lest they be worried about him.

This is pretty serious,

what's going on.

It's not just some cold.

Paul doesn't kind of let him get away

with playing it down.

He says in verse 27,

Indeed he was ill.

And actually he almost died.

But God had mercy on him.

And not only on him,

but also on me

to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

He actually almost died.

That's how serious it is.

That's how he was risking,

he was putting his life on the line

for their sake,

for the sake of the gospel.

So Paul says in verse 28,

I'm all the more eager to send him.

So when you see him,

you can be glad

and I won't be so anxious.

He's not just playing on

the kind of,

on the feelings here.

He's not just kind of exaggerating things.

He actually takes that level

of concern for them,

of genuine concern.

Both Paul and Epaphroditus do.

He's an example,

a living example

of what we saw

back in verse 4.

Looking not to his own interests,

but to the interests of others.

He's the kind of man,

I'd imagine if he were

in our churches today,

who would be just all about

the other people

in his life.

He would be the kind of person

lying in a hospital bed,

asking how you were,

not feeling put out

that you hadn't asked him

how he was.

He'd be the kind of father,

I'd imagine,

who even after a really long

and trying day,

where everything is just

getting on his nerves,

comes home and asks his wife

how her day would be.

Or who instead of

kind of longing

for that embrace

of the couch

and a good book

and the TV maybe,

instead of looking

to embrace that,

would want to embrace

whatever fantasy world

his children were playing in.

The person who'd used

their me time

to serve in a Bible study,

to drive the students home,

to cook for a couple

with a new baby,

to be there for people,

to invest in them,

to look not to his own interests,

but to the interests of others.

He says,

Paul says to them

at the end of this section,

verse 29,

welcome him in the Lord

with great joy

and honour men like him

because he almost died

for the work of Christ,

risking his life

to make up for the help

you could not give me.

They're to welcome him

and welcome him well.

Be excited,

he says,

that you have a good role model

like this coming to you.

Honour people like him.

Not that it goes to his head.

I think in Ireland

that's probably one of the reasons

why we don't like to give

or take compliments

all that much.

We wouldn't want to give them

just in case someone

kind of got a bit too big

for their boots,

a bit too kind of big-headed.

We kind of tend to play it down.

But what Paul is about here,

he's saying these are the kind of people,

these are the kind of role models

that we should look up to.

Not that we kind of get them up

at the front of church

and kind of parade them

in some kind of weird talent show.

No, not like that.

But that we recognise

that these guys

are displaying

the kind of characteristics

that we should be after,

that we should be looking to model.

Now we don't downplay them

because of someone's imperfection.

If there's a Christ-likeness

about somebody,

then let that be a role model to us.

Let that help us

and motivate us

as we seek to live for Jesus.

From the verse we've looked at

this morning,

we've kind of answered

the question we began with.

What kind of role models

should we have?

Seeing the kind of traits

we should look for.

Those who practice

a genuine interest.

A genuine concern

for the welfare.

Those who've proved themselves

under hardship.

But I feel if we were

to just leave it there,

if we weren't to connect the dots,

we'd just be left

with something to do,

wouldn't we?

Without seeing

that there's so much more

on offer.

As I was preparing

this message,

I found myself

realizing something.

And perhaps for many of you,

as you're hearing me

preach this,

you can share

in this experience.

If these are the kind

of role models

that we're to look for,

well then we kind of

need to ask,

what kind of role model

do I need to be?

If we're to have

good role models

in our churches,

well then it makes sense

that we need to start

stepping up and being

these kind of people.

These kind of men,

these kind of women.

I found myself challenged

because in so many ways

when I read this,

I realize,

and probably you realize

as well,

we just don't measure up,

do we?

What kind of role model

am I?

What kind of role model

are you?

How can we be

these kind of role models

for our church

here in Cargilline,

for our spouses at home,

for our kids,

our family,

our friends?

We'll need to go

a little bit outside

the immediate verses

we've read.

We need to understand

something,

something that Paul

understood,

something that Timothy

and Epaphroditus

understood.

The two guys

that we've been looking at,

they were kind of

modeling themselves

in ways on what they

learned,

what they saw in Paul.

But they're not just

following man's way

of living,

they're not just

following man's wisdom,

not just modeling

themselves on a mere

person,

like Paul.

He's written,

Paul's written to the

Philippians,

what he's written

applies to us

this morning.

He had written

in chapter 2,

Let it sink in.

Do nothing

out of selfish ambition

or vain conceit,

but in humility

considers others

better than yourselves.

Each of you

should look

not only to your

own interests,

but also to the

interests of others.

How are they to do this?

How will they be

this kind of role model?

Well,

verse 5,

your attitude

should be the same

as that of Christ

Jesus.

The same mindset,

no less.

Need to understand

how Christ

fulfills this.

Christ showed

that genuine

interest

in your welfare,

in my welfare.

we weren't

deserving of him.

He didn't need

to leave

the glory of heaven

and lay aside

what was rightfully

his.

But he didn't

cling to his

own interests.

His concern

was for us.

He put us

first,

our needs

before his

and became

a human being.

He willingly

came down,

obeyed his

father.

He humbled

himself.

But not just

in taking

on the form

of a servant

as if that

wasn't

humbling himself

enough,

but in dying.

And not even

in some

spectacular way.

But on the

ugly,

shameful cross.

That's how

Christ serves

us.

All the

authority

is his

as God.

Yet he

puts it

aside.

He comes

down

for our

sake.

All the

glory

was his.

He deserved

it all,

to be

honoured,

to be

worshipped.

But instead

he chose

to be

mocked,

chose to

be beaten

and

crucified

for you

and for

me.

He was

tested,

tempted to

put his

needs first,

to say no

to the

cross,

to not

give his

all.

But yet

he does.

God

does

he

prove

himself

obedient

to

his

father.

He

perfectly

models

what we

so

imperfectly

try to

imitate.

If you're

here this

morning and

you think

that living

in this

way,

that attaining

perfection

will make

me right

with God,

well that's

not how

it works.

Good works

on their own

aren't going

to earn us

a place

in heaven,

aren't going

to make

us right

with God.

We're

called to

perfection,

have the

mindset of

Christ,

but yet

we fall

so short

every single

day,

don't we?

And that

is why we

need Jesus.

That is why

we need

the Christ

so badly.

We need

someone who

has served

perfectly,

who has

given his

everything

for us

like we

saw,

that those

who would

call on

him,

believe in

him as

Lord and

Saviour,

not trusting

in their

works to

save them,

then they

could be

his children.

They could

have his

Holy Spirit.

And it's

that Spirit,

God working

in us,

God himself

within us,

that moulds

us,

that works

in us,

slowly but

surely,

to make us

more like

Jesus.

As Michael

Grant reminded

us last

week,

we're to

keep working

out our

salvation,

to keep

going,

to keep

looking to

grow,

to serve

one another.

And we've

learnt this

morning,

to take

a genuine

interest in

the welfare

of others.

We need

good role

models as

Christians.

And God,

by his love,

by his grace,

has given

us fine

examples,

both in

his word

and in

one another.

So imitate

those who

imitate Jesus.

Pick up

your Bible

and see

the kind

of people,

see the

kind of

Christians

that God

calls you

to be,

but not

only that,

enables you

to be.

Model

yourselves

on those

who model

Jesus,

those who

have Jesus

as their

model.

This

coming week,

this month,

this year,

how will you

put into

practice what

you've learnt

this morning?

And I'll

finish with

this.

Firstly,

get some

good and

godly role

models in

your life.

Maybe write

down one

or two

of the

traits that

you see

in someone

that you

want to

imitate,

godly

traits.

Pray about

those things.

Thank the

Lord for the

qualities that

he has

grown in

that person

and ask

that he

might grow

them in

you too.

Maybe if

you're feeling

brave,

go and talk

to that

person.

Tell them

what you've

noticed.

Tell them

how you've

seen that

Christ-likeness

in them.

Ask them

how they do

what they do,

how God

helps them,

how the

Lord helps

them to

do it.

Whether it

goes to their

head is

between them

and God.

Don't let

that put you

off.

But let's

try and keep

him the

focus.

I'll

paraphrase a

quote I came

across as I

was preparing.

Who of us

could be

arrogant or

make much of

ourselves or

think too

highly of

ourselves when

we consider how

we look next

to the cross?

Secondly,

try and

practice taking

that genuine

interest in the

welfare of

others this

week.

It's not

going to

happen overnight.

I guarantee

you that.

Ask God for

those opportunities.

Look for

them.

Perhaps it

will look like

maybe taking

the time to

ring a friend,

to ask how

things are

going.

Maybe giving

up some of

that me time

to play with

the kids,

to take the

initiative in

leading your

family in

reading God's

word.

word.

Maybe to

talk to

someone you've

never talked

to after

church.

To ask

about them.

To take a

genuine interest.

Can you

imagine what

our churches

would look

like, what

Cargilline

would look

like, if

we took

that genuine

interest in

one another?

And even if

the genuine

feeling isn't

there straight

away, do

it anyway.

And pray

that the

Lord would

change your

heart.

heart.

So,

brothers and

sisters,

practice the

attitude of

Jesus Christ

this week,

this month,

this year,

and imitate

those who

imitate Jesus.

Let's pray.

Father, we

thank you so

much for

your word.

We thank you

how you

teach us.

We thank you

for the

examples that

we see in

your word of

what it looks

like to

live for

Christ.

And we

thank you so

much for

the models

that we see

in one

another of

Christ's

likeness.

Imperfect

though we

are, that

you are

growing us

to be more

like Jesus.

We thank

you most of

all for the

perfect example

that we

have in

him.

Lord, who

are we that

we would

deserve this?

We don't.

But Lord, you

humbled yourself.

You put

your interests

aside for our

sake.

Let that be

our motivation

as we see

what Jesus

has done

and how you

enable us

by your

spirit to be

those kind

of role

models.

That we

might as a

church grow,

mature, and

live for you

day by day.

That you

would grow us

into the kind

of people you

have saved us

to be.

And pray these

things in your

most precious

name, the

name of your

Son, Jesus

Christ.

Amen.

We're going

to close by

singing the

song Once

Again.

It reminds us

once again I

look upon the

cross where

you dies.

I'm humbled

by your

mercy.